Errata Needed?

By Terpoma, in Twilight Imperium 3rd Edition

There's been a few discussions already on BGG about the large heap of things that will require an FAQ to work correctly, but I figure we may as well start a thread where we compile things from Shards of the Throne that may or may not need some good hard errata rather than just a clarification.

I'll start us off with some simple ones but please anyone else contribute with things they have noticed.

The racial tech Inheritance Systems doesn't seem to do anything. I imagine it's supposed to read "Technology Strategy" rather than Trade.

The racial tech Quantum Datahub Node doesn't seem to do anything (it triggers at the one time no one has any strategy cards lengua.gif ). I think it's supposed to read "Strategy Phase" rather than Status.

(Someone needs to kick the playtesters about a bit!)

Those are the two big ones I noticed as well. I'll go over more tonight to see if any more stand out.

I've already posted this in another spot but I'll put it here too.

Race Specific Questions

  • If two Arborec ground forces attempt to build two more ground forces are the GF's counted together in their cost and thus cost one resource total, or must both be purchased individually and thus cost 1 resource each? Additionally can 1 GF and one fighter be bought collectively at the cost of 1 resource.
  • Can the Nekro Virus intend to purchase a technology with the Secondary of Technology to intentionally recieive 3 command counters at the cost of 1 command counter and 6 resources? If so, may they use technology credits to reduce this cost if they could research a technology for which they have technology credits? If not do they receive some compensation for action cards which reduce the cost of technologies?
  • Armored units are an optional rule, but the Nekro Virus start with an Armored unit. What should they start with if you opt not to play with armored units or is this not an option?

Flagships:

  • May a player use in the silence of space or light wave deflector to pass through a system containing the Ghosts of Creuss' flagship the Hil Colish and into the Ghost's home system?
  • The Jol Nar's flagship the J.N.S. Hylerim hits 3 times on a 10, is this a natural ten or a modified one? (trivial yet important for the sake of consistency)
Repeated Text:
  • When a card says: "...this unit may be used as a PDS..." Should it's combat roll be based on the PDS combat value and modified by the according technologies, or on the unit's combat value?

These are all great questions for future FAQage. Here's my 2 cents, unofficial though it may be:

The Fist of Ferrum said:

If two Arborec ground forces attempt to build two more ground forces are the GF's counted together in their cost and thus cost one resource total, or must both be purchased individually and thus cost 1 resource each?

I would say no. If you had 2 SDs in a system and had already planned a build that left 1 plastic production capacity remaining on each dock, you could not combine them to buy 2 GF for 1 resource. That's how production capacity works. Assuming you were, for some reason, unwilling or unable to rearrange the rest of your build to get 2 plastic on one SD, of course. Following that understanding of how production capacity works, each Arborec GF has a production capacity of 1 plastic. They cannot be combined, just as SDs' production capacities cannot be combined.

This means the Arborec will have to pay more for their GFs, but they will also be able to spread much further and much easier (all other races have at most 3 points where they can produce GFs at any one time, and they must ship those GF to other planets as required (or research the "stargate technology" as I have been known to call it.) The Arborec can build new GFs anywhere they have at least one GF already. And they get free GFs each turn on top of that. Sounds like a reasonably fair trade to me.

The Fist of Ferrum said:

Additionally can 1 GF and one fighter be bought collectively at the cost of 1 resource.

Even if the official word on the previous question comes back as yes, I would expect this one to be a "no." After all, even at a space dock that has enough production capacity to build two plastic units, you are not allowed to combine GF and FT like this.

The Fist of Ferrum said:

Can the Nekro Virus intend to purchase a technology with the Secondary of Technology to intentionally recieive 3 command counters at the cost of 1 command counter and 6 resources? If so, may they use technology credits to reduce this cost if they could research a technology for which they have technology credits? If not do they receive some compensation for action cards which reduce the cost of technologies?

I'd say yes, they can buy 3 CCs using the Tech secondary (really only 2 CCs in net increase, but it could be worthwhile in some cases.) I'd say no to the idea of using discounts to reduce the price tag, since you can't actually buy any tech. The Nekro use an ability that says "gain a tech" (for whatever cost) and their racial ability kicks in and says "instead of a tech, you get 3 CCs." It never reaches the point of actually deciding what tech you would like to purchase, let alone what colour that tech might be. You are provided the option to gain "a tech" and you get CCs instead. The Nekro are thus less inclined to go after planets with discounts (unless they can use them for an objective or something.)

The Fist of Ferrum said:

Armored units are an optional rule, but the Nekro Virus start with an Armored unit. What should they start with if you opt not to play with armored units or is this not an option?

I would be inclined to say the Nekro are disallowed as a race in games that don't involve Mechs, for this very reason. Replacing it with 2 GFs or something might also work as a viable house rule. In reality, I don't expect there will be too many people playing without mechs, unless there develops an widespread opinion that the units are broken somehow. I'd be interested to hear FFG's take on that question, though.

The Fist of Ferrum said:

  • May a player use in the silence of space or light wave deflector to pass through a system containing the Ghosts of Creuss' flagship the Hil Colish and into the Ghost's home system?
  • The Jol Nar's flagship the J.N.S. Hylerim hits 3 times on a 10, is this a natural ten or a modified one? (trivial yet important for the sake of consistency)

Don't know what the Creuss Flagship does exactly, so I'll stay out of that one. For the Jol Nar flagship I'd say natural tens only, as a gut reaction. Especially since, barring any other bonuses the flagship may provide, the Jol Nar's -1 would make it impossible for them to roll a modified 10. =P

The Fist of Ferrum said:

  • When a card says: "...this unit may be used as a PDS..." Should it's combat roll be based on the PDS combat value and modified by the according technologies, or on the unit's combat value?

I'd say all stats remain those of the unit in question. It just gets to behave like a PDS (ie: fire when PDSes are allowed to fire.) I'm inclined to say it can gain the modifiers of any PDS-related techs for it's "PDS shots" only, but that's mostly because I want them to be able to use DSC, which is something of a biased position. =P

A clearer definition for this flag ship ability - "When it's moving, treat its destination point as having the wormhole."

Terpoma said:

The racial tech Quantum Datahub Node doesn't seem to do anything (it triggers at the one time no one has any strategy cards lengua.gif ). I think it's supposed to read "Strategy Phase" rather than Status.

(Someone needs to kick the playtesters about a bit!)

You should have cards in the status phase.

Unless it is meant to be played before the cards are returned, since the cards are not returned until the end of the status phase. right before the begining of the next turn.

Just got the expansion today and went through the contents. I've read the rules and see no mention of this so I am wondering if I am missing a piece. Are the Lazax meant to NOT have a flag ship card. I do not. Does this mean they cannot build flag ships, or am I missing a piece?

Nematode said:

Just got the expansion today and went through the contents. I've read the rules and see no mention of this so I am wondering if I am missing a piece. Are the Lazax meant to NOT have a flag ship card. I do not. Does this mean they cannot build flag ships, or am I missing a piece?

the lazax are more of a race to be used exclusivly with the 7 player scenario, in which flagships (which are an optional rule) are not allowed, to the best of my knowledge

kommissar_kai said:

Nematode said:

Just got the expansion today and went through the contents. I've read the rules and see no mention of this so I am wondering if I am missing a piece. Are the Lazax meant to NOT have a flag ship card. I do not. Does this mean they cannot build flag ships, or am I missing a piece?

the lazax are more of a race to be used exclusivly with the 7 player scenario, in which flagships (which are an optional rule) are not allowed, to the best of my knowledge

correct. I believe the mechanized units is the only option allowed when playing The Fall of the Empire Scenario.

The Fist of Ferrum said:

Flagships:

  • May a player use in the silence of space or light wave deflector to pass through a system containing the Ghosts of Creuss' flagship the Hil Colish and into the Ghost's home system?

The wording of the card would indicate no. It states that you "may" regard the system that the flagship is in as containing a wormhole, so you can basically use it at your convenience and ignore it otherwise. It also states "when this ship is moving" when it talks about a wormhole in the target destination. As such, after it is finished moving, the wormhole in the target destination goes away. This makes sense as otherwise the Ghosts would be incredibly open to assault on their homeworld no matter how strong their galactic presence.

-For the Arborec, their production capacities can NOT be pooled, so you would have to pay for GFs on a 1 for 1 basis. And under no circumstances can you ever pay 1 resource to build 1 fighter and 1 GF.

-Yes, the Nekro can intentionally use the Tech secondary to receive command counters instead. I do recall having read an answer on whether or not tech specialties reduce the cost, but that was on the Twilight Imperium Wiki which has since been hacked into oblivion. I believe the answer was yes, they can, but I'm not 100% certain.

-Only the Creuss player has the option of treating the the system Hil Colish is in as having a D wormhole. Other players can't enter via Silence of Space or Lightwave Deflector, nor can the Nekro use it to take advantage of the tech Dimensional Splicer if they copied it previously.

-J.N.S. Hylerim's ability activates only on a natural 10.

-Flagships and mercenaries that can be used as PDS or receive Anti-Fighter Barrages do not receive bonuses from any relevant tech.